Cheerleaders cheer Bangalore, boo Mohali

Image by rochakchauhan via Flickr

The girls themselves are saying it.

The cheerleaders with the Indian Premier League, having performed their little show at stadiums across the country, claim the spectators at Mohali — home to the Kings XI, Punjab — are ‘the most crude of them all’.

In Delhi ahead of Wednesday’s Daredevils versus Rajasthan Royals game, the cheerleaders were asked to rate the crowds at various centres.

“The Mohali crowds get very crude and nasty. They look as if they’ll get violent,” said one of the girls from Johannesburg. (She cannot be named, as cheerleaders are not allowed to speak on such subjects to the media).

Bangalore was their favourite city. “The people are good and the atmosphere is brilliant,” said one of the girls. Their second favourite city is Mumbai (and no, they haven’t been hounded by Sena types). “We’ve had no problem there,” the cheerleader said.

Finally, how was Delhi? The Capital was dubbed “okay”.

“The fact that there’s so much security perhaps doesn’t allow the crowd to do anything silly,” said a DNA official, the entertainment agency handling the cheerleaders.

There are 50 foreign cheerleaders at the IPL, 40 of them from South Africa and the remaining 10, on standby, from Ukraine.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/cricket/IPL/Cheerleaders-cheer-Bangalore-boo-Mohali/cricketnews/SP-Article10-525254.aspx

The toxic timebomb

1. BRAIN

DEMENTIA: Lead increases the risk of dementia, a study in the U.S. Journal of Epidemiology found. The toxic metal was used in paint and plumbing pipes up to the Seventies and is still found in many British homes. Search direct.gov. uk for advice on dealing with lead paint. If you have lead pipes, consider replacing them, and always run the cold tap for a few minutes before using water for drinking or cooking, as lead leaches into water when it is left sitting.

AUTISM: Organophosphates are found in many agricultural pesticides and increase the risk of autism. A study in the journal Molecular Psychiatry identified three gene variants which make some people more susceptible to neural damage caused by organophosphates; exposure to residues could be contributing to the increase in autism, said the researchers.

DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY: Other neurotoxins (chemicals which harm the brain) include mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs - both found in seafood. Children of women who've eaten large amounts of contaminated fish may have lower IQs and difficulty concentrating. Initially the problem was isolated to larger fish such as tuna, marlin, shark and swordfish (which feed off other fish, adding to their toxic load), but the chemicals have also been found in sea bream, sea bass, turbot, halibut, rock salmon and brown crab meat. The Food Standards Agency advises children and women of child-bearing age to limit their intake of oily fish because these toxins accumulate in fats - the usual advice is to stick to just two portions a week.

2. HEART

FURRED-UP ARTERIES: Studies have shown that poor air quality contributes to heart disease. A U.S. study found that people with raised levels of PM2.5 particles, found in car fumes, are most likely to have atherosclerosis - thickening of the arteries - which contributes to heart disease. These particles are also found in homes in built-up areas, but you can reduce levels with frequent vacuuming.

HEART DISEASE: Bisphenol A (BPA), the ingredient used in plastic food and drink packaging, increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to researchers at the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter.
Look for the recycle signs on plastic bottles - that's the place you are most likely to see the triangle with a 7 inside, which indicates the presence of BPAs - and avoid the office water cooler.

3. BREASTS

CANCER: A number of studies have shown a link between breast cancer and phthalates - genderbending chemicals widely used to soften plastics and stabilise fragrances. Although the plastics industry insists that they are safe, in 2005 European Union regulators banned their use in children's toys. However, phthalates are still widely used and can be found in shoes, shower curtains, plastic furniture, vinyl floor coverings and many other household goods.
There have been fears that deodorants can cause breast cancer.
Several small studies have found parabens and aluminium in breast tissue (both chemicals are commonly found in deodorants), and as these are known to mimic the female hormone oestrogen, which is linked to some tumours, researchers have suggested that there may be an association. However, large population studies have found no evidence to support the theory.

4. LUNGS & IMMUNE SYSTEM

ASTHMA: Bleach, window cleaner, furniture polish, air fresheners and carpet cleaners are all linked to asthma and wheezing, according to researchers at Bristol University. Their study of 14,000 children found those exposed to these everyday products increased the risk of persistent wheezing by the age of seven by 40 per cent. They also had slightly lower than normal lung function. Dr John Henderson, who led the study, said: 'This research points to direct effects of chemical exposure on lung development or irritation of the airways after birth.' Avoid products that come in a spray, as more of the product becomes airborne and is breathed in. The chlorine in swimming pools can also trigger asthma and lung damage. When chlorine interacts with sweat, skin cells and other proteins shed by swimmers, it creates harmful chloramines. Avoid pools where there is a strong smell of chlorine - this indicates high levels of chloramines.

LOWERED IMMUNITY: Studies suggest that non-stick cookware, stain repellents and waterproof clothing, carpets and upholstery could affect our immunity. These everyday items contain agents called perfluorinated chemicals (perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA, Perfluorooctanesulfonamide PFOSA and perfluorooctane sulfonate PFOS). Animal studies have shown that large doses can damage the spleen, an important part of the immune system.

CANCER: Exposure to agricultural pesticides increases the risk of lymphoma, a blood cancer associated with the immune system, by as much as 65 per cent.

5. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM & LIVER

DIABETES: Arsenic can cause digestive problems, diabetes and cancer. The poison is also associated with hearing loss and disorders of the nervous system.
In many parts of the world, water used to irrigate rice crops is contaminated with arsenic from natural and man-made sources.
A study by Professor Andrew Meharg of Aberdeen University found 10 per cent of rice sold in Britain has concentrations other countries consider dangerous.
His tests show basmati is the least likely to be contaminated.

LIVER CANCER: Animal studies have shown that polychlor inated biphenyls, or PCBs, increase the risk of liver cancer. PCBs were used in adhesives, paints and plastics until the Seventies. They have entered the food chain, and are commonly found in fish and seafood. They accumulate in lipids, so oily fish and the fish liver used to make some dietary supplements may contain worrying levels. Other tests have shown that old fluorescent lights may leak small amounts of PCBs.

6. BLADDER & KIDNEY

CANCER: When sodium nitrate is used to preserve bacon and other meats, it creates nitrosamines - chemicals which have been linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer. You can reduce your exposure by switching to organic nitrate-free bacon.
Women who use permanent hair dyes at least once a month are up to three times more likely to develop bladder cancer, U.S. researchers have warned. According to the Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association: 'Hair colourants are among the most thoroughly studied products on the market, and studies to date have concluded that they are safe when used as directed.' But animal studies have shown that para-phenylenediamine, or PPD, a chemical found in many hair dyes, is linked to genetic damage and cancer. Minimise exposure by switching to a herbal dye or semi-permanent.

KIDNEY: Benzene, a chemical found in glues, paints, furniture wax and detergents, is particularly toxic to the kidneys. Studies have found that men who work with benzene are at increased risk of renal cancers, while animal studies have linked high levels to damage to the lungs, liver and brain. Depending on heat and light, benzene can also be formed in soft drinks when two otherwise harmless ingredients - vitamin C and either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate (both preservatives) - are combined.

7. SEXUAL ORGANS

INFERTILITY: Could your armchair be preventing you from getting pregnant? Or is it the TV, laptop or carpet? They contain fire retardants known as PBDEs. Researchers at Berkeley University in California measured blood levels of PBDE in 200 women and found that those with the highest concentrations took longer to become pregnant.

SEX DEFECTS IN BOYS: Professor Richard Sharpe of the Medical Research Council believes chemicals called phthalates are feminising boys and increasing male infertility, birth defects and testicular cancer. Phthalates mimic the female hormone oestrogen. They are found in products ranging from cosmetics and moisturisers to baby mats.

8. SKIN

DERMATITIS: The internet is afire with dire warnings that sodium lauryl sulphate - a foaming agent used in toothpaste, shampoo, cosmetics and skin-care products - causes cancer. This has been roundly dismissed by the American Cancer Society. However, a number of studies have shown that it is a skin irritant and can cause contact dermatitis. Ironically, one of the products it is commonly found in is aqueous cream, which a recent survey found nine out of ten GPs wrongly recommend for eczema. If you have sensitive skin, switch to a product like Dexeryl, an emollient that has no SLS and is free from lanolin and fragrance, which can also cause irritation.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1262143/The-toxic-timebomb-Researchers-say-gender-bending-chemicals-rife-just-tip-iceberg.html#ixzz0jgI3zQj3

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• Nena Baker: Why Persistence Matters: The Case for Restricting PBT Chemicals (huffingtonpost.com)

Experts hack iPhone SMS database in 20 sec

Bangalore: Two security researchers have found an exploit to hack iPhone's SMS Database in 20 seconds, while displaying their skills at the Pwn2Own contest at the CanSecWest Security show. Ralf Philipp Weinmann of the University of Luxembourg and Vincenzo Iozzo of German company Zynamics found this exploit for the iPhone that won them $15,000 prize, reported ZDNet.

iPhone was not the only thing to get hacked. Safari on Snow Leopard and Internet Explorer 8 as well as Firefox browsers on Windows 7 got hacked too, according to TechTree. Weinmann and Iozzo collaborated to finding vulnerability and then writing an exploit - the entire process took two weeks. As a part of the hack, iPhone users have to visit a website hosting malicious code and then steal iPhone's SMS database - all in the matter of 20 seconds! Weinmann explained, "Basically, every page that the user visits on our [rigged] site will grab the SMS database and upload it to a server we control".
Thomas Dullien, Weimann's colleague explained that the attacker had potential to do more damage without leaving the iPhone Sandbox, a tightly-controlled set of resources for running unverified codes. The exploit was written to bypass the digital signatures for verifying if the code in memory is from Apple or not. Weinmann pointed out that there's a non-root user called 'mobile' with certain user privileges and using that exploit, he could can do anything that 'mobile' (non-root user) can do.
Charlie Miller, principal security analyst at Independent Security Evaluators, found an exploit to hack Safari on a MacBook Pro without physically touching the machine and won $10,000 worth prize money.

http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Experts_hack_iPhone_SMS_database_in_20_sec-nid-66607.html

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New 'iPhone killer' 4G mobile phone is unveiled in the U.S.

 

The first ever 4G mobile phone billed as a major rival for the iPhone and Google Nexus One has been unveiled at a trade show in the U.S.

The HTC Evo 4G features a 4.3-inch LCD screen, 30 per cent bigger than the iPhone, an eight megapixel camera with flash and up to 33 gigabytes of memory.

One of the new phones features means it can act as an internet 'hub' for up to eight devices at the same time.

Rival: The HTC Evo 4G, produced by Sprint Nextel, is the first 4G phone and is expected to be strong competition for the iPhone and Google Nexus

No release date has been set, but the phone is expected to hit the U.S. market over the summer.

It has been designed by Sprint Nextel, the same company behind the Google Nexus One, and is its first 4G phone but the firm has not given it a guide price.

The Evo 4G uses Android 2.1 software and features a 1GHz Snapdragon processor. It supports 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and also contains a front-facing 1.3 mega pixel video camera capable of HD video recording.

The download speed of a 4G phone is far superior to the current leading models.

It is unlikely to be sold in the UK in its current form, but could be released in Europe after further testing is carried out on download speeds and system performance.

The news comes as rival Apple announced it will include iPhones with bigger and brighter screens for services like mobile video.

Enlarge

Ultra fast: The Evo 4G features an 8 mega pixel camera, 4.3-inch LCD screen and the capability to link eight devices simultaneously to the internet

Jeff Bradley, senior vice president overseeing devices at the company, said: 'We'll have those kind of devices with those kinds of capabilities in the portfolio.

'There's a definite trend towards big, vivid displays.'

On Tuesday, Samsung Electronics also launched its new phone called Galaxy S which also features brighter display technology.

The announcements, which took place at the CTIA trade show in Las Vegas, U.S., are likely to increase the intense competition for touch-screen mobile phone technology.

AT&T, which exclusively provides the iPhone in the U.S., said some customers would also be able to watch TV shows on their phones by streaming them from their digital video recorders at home.

The device would cost $100 for customers, who would pay an additional $20 a month for unlimited use.

Competition: The Evo 4G will increase the fierce competition in the mobile phone market already dominated by Apple's iPhone, left, and Google's Nexus One

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1260620/HTC-Evo-4G-New-iPhone-killer-mobile-phone-unveiled-U-S.html#ixzz0jCzC0WGt

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Restoring virginity is the new fad

Pandering to conservative India's continuing preference for a "virgin bride", an increasing number of women are going under the knife for hymen reconstruction surgeries to keep intact the notion of the blushing, untouched spouse for their husbands-to-be.

"I didn't care about it but I come from a conservative family. I couldn't tell my parents that I am not a virgin. My parents have arranged my marriage. So I chose to get this surgery done," a 25-year-old, who has recently got the surgery done, said.

Hymen repair or re-virgination refers to a cosmetic surgery that restores the hymen. Hymenoplasty is a simple procedure that repairs a torn hymen.

According to Anup Dhir, cosmetologist at the Apollo Hospital, "There has been a steady rise in the demand for hymenoplasty surgery over the past few years".

"There has been an increase of 20-30 percent in these surgeries every year. The majority of women who come for this surgery are in the age group 20 and 30," Dhir said.

Agreed Anita Kant, head of obstetrics at the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences: "Hymen reconstruction surgery has become an emerging trend over the past three to four years."

The main reason, experts say, is the prevalent conservative mindset. "In a conservative society like ours, many women feel that hymen reconstruction is a prerequisite to a good beginning of married life. Also they feel no matter how modern their partners are, the male mindset remains conservative in this regard and therefore the importance of being a virgin before marriage," Kant told IANS.

However, while premarital sex is one of the reasons for rupture of the hymen, it is not the only reason.

"The reason cited by many women who come for hymenoplasty surgery is premarital sex. However, sex is not the only reason why the hymen can break. Sports activities, rigorous physical exercise and dance can also result in the tear," said Biraj Nathani, senior plastic surgeon at Max Health Care hospital at Saket.

The surgery in itself takes about an hour and there are no side effects, said doctors. The cost of hymenoplasty depends on the set up - whether it's done in a public or private hospital. In public hospitals, the cost ranges from Rs.15,000 to Rs.20,000, while in private hospitals the charges could be from Rs.50,000 to Rs.70,000.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/trendspotting/Restoring-virginity-is-the-new-fad/Article1-522420.aspx

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'Man with the golden arm' saves 2million babies in half a century of donating rare type of blood

 

Life-saver: James Harrison has donated his rare blood nearly 1,000 times

An Australian man who has been donating his extremely rare kind of blood for 56 years has saved the lives of more than two million babies.

James Harrison, 74, has an antibody in his plasma that stops babies dying from Rhesus disease, a form of severe anaemia.

He has enabled countless mothers to give birth to healthy babies, including his own daughter, Tracey, who had a healthy son thanks to her father's blood.

Mr Harrison has been giving blood every few weeks since he was 18 years old and has now racked up a total of 984 donations.

When he started donating, his blood was deemed so special his life was insured for one million Australian dollars.

He was also nicknamed the 'man with the golden arm' or the 'man in two million'.

His blood has since led to the development of a vaccine called Anti-D.

He said: 'I've never thought about stopping. Never.' He made a pledge to be a donor aged 14 after undergoing major chest surgery in which he needed 13 litres of blood.

'I was in hospital for three months,' he said. 'The blood I received saved my life so I made a pledge to give blood when I was 18.'

Just after he started donating he was found to have the rare and life-saving antibody in his blood.

At the time, thousands of babies in Australia were dying each year of Rhesus disease. Other newborns suffered permanent brain damage because of the condition.

The disease creates an incompatibility between the mother's blood and her unborn baby's blood. It stems from one having Rh-positive blood and the other Rh-negative.

After his blood type was discovered, Mr Harrison volunteered to undergo a series of tests to help develop the Anti-D vaccine.

'They insured me for a million dollars so I knew my wife Barbara would be taken care of,' he said.

'I wasn't scared. I was glad to help. I had to sign every form going and basically sign my life away.'

Mr Harrison, dubbed 'the man with the golden arm', is still donating every few weeks at the age of 74. He is thought to have saved 2.2million babies

Mr Harrison is Rh-negative and was given injections of Rh-positive blood.

It was found his plasma could treat the condition and since then it has been given to hundreds of thousands of women.

It has also been given to babies after they are born to stop them developing the disease.

It is estimated he has helped save 2.2 million babies so far.

One of the mothers he has helped is Joy Barnes, who works at the Red Cross Blood Bank in Sydney.

Grateful: Mr Harrison's friend Joy Barnes is one of many mothers who have been able to give birth to healthy babies thanks to his donations

She has known Mr Harrison for 23 years but has only just told him she is one of the countless mothers he has helped.

Ms Barnes, who miscarried at four and five months before having treatment, said: 'Without him I would never have been able to have a healthy baby.'

Speaking to Mr Harrison on an Australian TV show, she said: 'I don't know how to thank you enough.'

His own daughter, Tracey, also had to have the Anti-D injection after the birth of her first son.

She said she was 'proud' of her dad for continuing to give blood, even after the death of her mother after 56 years of marriage.

Mr Harrison said: 'I was back in hospital giving blood a week after Barbara passed away.

'It was sad but life marches on and we have to continue doing what we do. She's up there looking down, so I carry on.'

Mr Harrison is expected to reach the 1,000 donation milestone in September this year

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1259627/Man-golden-arm-James-Harrison-saves-2million-babies-half-century-donating-rare-blood.html#ixzz0j1U65Av9

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Still playing with his Lego at 36 - the corporate lawyer who packed it all in to create £10,000 models.

 

Parents the world over have watched their sons playing with Lego and dreamed they'll go on to build successful careers as, say, high-flying lawyers.

Well, quite what the parents of Nathan Sawaya are now thinking - the 36-year-old quit his job as corporate lawyer in 2001 to return to his boyhood obsession - creating shapes with those colourful building blocks.

But before you smirk, the artist is proving there is more to Lego than child's play - by selling his brick-based creations for a staggering £10,000 each.

Nathan Sawaya's Lego work 'My Boy 2'. He says his art explores human emotions

This piece of Lego art of a man rising up is called Red

His works, which are shown in galleries across the globe and are in demand by top art dealers, include life-size 'sculptures' and can each use 150,000 of the familiar little bricks .

Sawaya even has his own touring exhibition, The Art of the Brick, for which he required more than 1,500,000 coloured bricks to create 30 works of art.

Key pieces in the show are his Red, Yellow, and Blue series which Nathan says explore the human emotions attached to birth, death and transformation.

He was recently offered £10,000 for a single piece.

One of Nathan Sawaya's creations from his Lego exhibition 'Brick by Brick'

Nathan Sawaya's Lego work Swimmer, created in his art studio in New York

'Most of the time, I spend between eight to 12 hours each day creating with Lego, but it depends on what I'm working on.

'Sometimes when I get really into a sculpture, I can spend 18 hours at a time.

'I spend a lot of time sketching out my ideas on special graph paper that has the brick shapes printed on it. Then the rest of the day is spent building.'

Buyers needn't worry about the artworks coming apart though, when Nathan is happy with a creation he rebuilds it, this time glueing the bricks together.

He spends full working days playing with Lego bricks in his New York studio where he keeps more than 1.5 million spare blocks.

Nathan Sawaya in his New York studio surrounded by his Lego art

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259561/Still-playing-Lego-36--corporate-lawyer-packed-create-10-000-works-colourful-building-blocks.html#ixzz0iu9ItbKy

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Texting teen faces surgery on both wrists after sending 100 messages a day

 

A schoolgirl is facing surgery on both wrists after sending more than 100 text messages a day from her mobile phone.

Annie Levitz, 16, who has lost the feeling in her hands and is unable to pick up some objects, has to wear braces on both wrists and also needs pain-killing injections.

Doctors say she is suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, whereby nerves in the wrist become trapped. The condition is usually associated with frequent computer keyboard use.

Surgery: Annie Levitz, 16, lost the feeling in her hands because she was spending so much time texting

Annie, from Chicago in the U.S., insisted she has cut down on her texting habit - but only to 50 a day. 'I know it's not good enough, but I am trying,' she said. 'It's not even good texts. It's things like, "Hey, hey, what's up?".'

She says she now hopes to trade her mobile in for an iPhone - as its touchscreen should make it easier to type out texts.

Annie said that she got scared after she began to develop pain.

‘I started losing feeling in my hands and they'd go numb,’ she explained. ‘I'd go to pick up dishes and things and they'd just fall out of my hands.’

Doctors then diagnosed Annie, a pupil at Adlai Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, about 35 miles north of Chicago, and fitted braces on her wrists.

Braces: Annie has also received cortisone injections to deal with the pain of the condition

She has also had cortisone injections to deal with the pain. But Annie will still have to go under the knife in a bid to relieve her discomfort.

Her mother, Carrie Levitz, said she couldn’t take the phone away from Annie because it was her ‘whole social life’.

‘Sure, I've thought about it. But if you have teens you know that doesn't work,’ she said.

‘When we found out that it was carpal tunnel syndrome, I was just angry.'

However, the condition hasn’t deterred Annie from texting – and the teenager still manages to send out up to 2,000 messages a month.

Dr Sofia Aksentijevich, the rheumatologist who diagnosed Annie, said: ‘It's unusual among younger patients, but not unique.’

Symptoms of carpal tunnel include not being able to grasp things or losing your grip, frequent burning, tingling or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers.

‘I still prefer texting,’ Annie added, ‘but I've learned that some communication is not worth it.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1259243/Teenager-develops-carpal-tunnel-syndrome-sending-4-000-text-messages-MONTH.html#ixzz0ijQttsj4

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Madonna! Singer dresses in minidress and PVC fetish boots for date night with Jesus

 

It sounds like the perfect night out. A Broadway show, dinner at a posh restaurant, then a few drinks.

But judging by her thigh-baring outfit Madonna was hoping for an entirely different evening.

The singer dressed in what can only be described as fetish boots, over-the-knee PVC numbers which she teamed with a dangerously short black and red mini dress.

Date night: Jesus Luz and Madonna enjoyed a night at Morimoto in New York after attending Fela! on Broadway

The 51-year-old's boyfriend Jesus Luz was dressed more modestly, in black trousers and a plain black sweater.

The two spent their night out in New York watching Fela! on Braodway, before heading to Morimoto for dinner and heading onto a club.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1259087/Madonna-dresses-knee-PVC-fetish-boots-date-night-Jesus-Luz.html#ixzz0ie8sMSkt

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Topless tourists warned as Goa calls time on nude sunbathing

 

Holidaymakers enjoying the sun on the beaches of Goa have been told that topless sunbathing is unacceptable in new guidelines laid down by local authorities.

The pocket book, published by the state government, offers warnings on a series of issues, including nudism and, oddly, what to wear while riding a motorbike.

Cover up: Holidaymakers in Goa have been warned against topless sunbathing

“Nudity on the beaches and public places is strictly forbidden,” the guide states. “If in doubt take local advice, especially with regard to topless bathing”

It continues: “Never ride a two-wheeler without clothes on the upper part of the body.”

The handbook has been issued in the wake of growing concerns in Goa about the behaviour of tourists. Although the smallest state in India, the area’s long stretches of sand attract some 400,000 visitors a year, the majority of them British and Russian.

The guidebook is available in English and Russian, with a German edition also planned.

 

One local MP, Shantaram Naik, has gone as far as to accuse Russian tourists of “corrupting the minds of locals” and leaving a “horrifying impression on schoolchildren”.

Goa, with its long stretches of sand such as Anjuna Beach, attracts some 400,000 overseas tourists each year

The book, which can be picked up in hotels, asks foreign visitors to be aware of local religious and cultural sensitivities, and also offers strict reminders of India’s zero-tolerance policies on drug taking and possession.

Huddled on India’s west coast, Goa was a Portuguese colony from the early 16th century, and remained in Portuguese hands until 1961, 14 years after the rest of the country had achieved independence from British rule.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1258599/Topless-tourists-warned-nude-sunbathing-Goa.html#ixzz0iSB25LjU

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Folding plug wins design awards

 

An innovative folding electric plug, designed by a London student has won a prestigious design award.

Min-Kyu Choi reinterpreted the UK standard 3 pin plug - whose bulky shape frustrates the owners of the latest light-weight gadgets.

Innovative: The plug is designed to fold down for storage, left, but can be opened up again quickly when needed

Min-Kyu Choi with his innovative Folding Plug

His fold-flat design beat more than 90 international nominees who were shortlisted in seven categories, including the late fashion guru Alexander McQueen.

Mr Choi, 30, decided to create the device after he struggled to pack the traditional plug with his new MacBook Air - which is the world's thinnest laptop.

He said: 'When people carry laptops with the UK plugs in a bag, it always causes problems such as tearing paper or scratching laptop surfaces.'

When folded his plug is only 0.4" thick, compared to the 4.6" standard model.

'I've tried to make it much thinner and safer,' Mr Choi said.

The young designer is planning to launch a product range this year built around his design. He is also working on a folding suitcase that will save space when not in use.

The winners of the categories went forward to the final judging stage and Choi was presented with his title by judging panel chairman Antony Gormley at a gala dinner held at the Design Museum in London.

Panellists included designer Tom Dixon, editor of Wired magazine David Rowan and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.

Mr Gormley said: 'Thought-through, responsive and modest, the folding plug shows how intelligent, elegant and inventive design can make a difference to everyone's life.'

Mr Choi drew praise when he showcased the plug at the Royal College of Art's graduate show in 2009.

How the folding plug looks in action. The designer will launch the device this year

Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum, said: 'It's great to see such a practical but elegant demonstration of what design can do to make everyday life so much better.

'Min-Kyu Choi is a designer just setting out on his career and he clearly has a great future ahead of him.'

Shortlisted designs are on show at the Design Museum until October 31.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1258426/Folding-plug-wins-design-awards.html#ixzz0iRsYxJTw

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30 years later Bahadur returns

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India’s first neighbourhood comic book super hero is returning to the crime scene. Indrajal comics’ product Bahadur, that was first launched in 1976, will soon be available in a new avatar; and that too, on the Internet. The comic, that is being produced in a new and updated 21st century graphic style, will have vibrant colours and designs, unlike its older counterpart. Its language is being made to suit the target readers from the current generation.

The short and long story
The lead character, Bahadur, was created by Aabid Surti and illustrated by the late Govind Brahmania, way back in the 1970s when the comic was sold for one rupee. Unfortunately, around the 1980’s, when Indrajal comics shut shop in India, Bahadur’s popularity and tales of valour were lost with it.
“Apart from India, there’s a huge fan club of Bahadur, abroad. I’ve seen these comics being sold as collector’s items for $100 in some places as well,” said Pramod Brahmania, Govind Brahmania’s son, who has taken over the responsibility of bringing out the new version.

He continued, “The copyright was handed over to Surtiji when Indrajal shut down. It has been with him ever since. So I asked him if he wanted to bring Bahadur back. And we did!”

Written with a twist to the original storyline in the 1970s, Aabid Surti claims that the comic will always retain its charm, irrespective of its new content. “This comic is almost historic now. It could have become India’s first superhero comic,” said Surti, who has lost count of how many series he has written.
He added, “The first few comics of the new series will have some background material for the new readers. The old versions were based in the 1970s, when many villages in the interiors of India faced a serious threat from dacoits. Today, that has changed. So we’ve changed that element too. Now, we have to deal with terrorism. So, instead of dacoits, we have made terrorists our villains.”

Comic cinema
Though Surti is open to turning the concept into a movie, he makes it clear that, what ever happens, the copyright of Bahadur will stay with him. “Anurag Kashyap desperately wanted to make it into a film. He had tied up with Fish Eye productions to figure out a deal. He tried a lot, but the budget wasn’t feasible,” said Surti, who’s convinced that if the film is made well, it could be India’s answer to Spiderman or Superman.
He elaborated, “The moral behind the stories of Bahadur at that time was that villagers shouldn’t rely on the police completely, because there used to be one police station for 100 villages. Bahadur thus leads the Citizen Security Force and helps them become independent and trains them to protect themselves.”

The website — www.bahadur.co.in — which the readers can visit by the end of the month, will have first time readers to browse through the first five pages of each comic for free. After which, a nominal charge shall be levied.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/books/30-years-later-Bahadur-returns/Article1-518897.aspx

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'Rape' to go from IPC; new bill in offing

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The Government is working on to replace the word "rape" from Indian Penal Code with "sexual assault" to broaden the ambit of crimes covered under the sections and make the provisions gender-neutral.

The Home Ministry is working on a draft bill which will replace the word 'rape' from nearly 150-year-old Indian Penal Code with 'sexual assault' in order to broaden the ambit of crimes covered, official sources said.

As per section 375 of IPC, penetration is sufficient to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary to the offence of rape but with the proposed replacements coming in, the sexual assault will also cover crimes like sodomy, fingering, insertion of foreign object and other similar offences which do not come under present definition of rape, sources said.

The proposal will also make "sexual assault" gender neutral which implies that relevant sections of IPC can be slapped on accused of any gender who has committed the crime, they said.

The provisions can be imposed on sexual crimes inflicted on women, men and children thus broadening the reach.

The sources said the move is seen as a way to harmonise the provisions of law to prevent sexual crimes among homosexuals with homosexuality being decriminalised by a Delhi High Court order last year.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Rape-to-go-from-IPC-new-bill-in-offing/H1-Article1-519358.aspx

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INDIA::::Three reasons why the crucial Nuclear Bill is in trouble.

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New Delhi: Expectedly, the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill has run into an `explosive’ debate and, as a fallout, the Government had to postpone the tabling of the Bill. If the Bill fails to sail through the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to face a major embarrassment as he embarks on a US trip in the middle of next month to attend a summit on nuclear security.

The bill is a key element of operationalisation the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal. The Civil Liabilities Bill provides for compensation in case of a nuclear accident.

Singh has to secure Parliament's nod for the Bill. But the BJP and the Left parties find themselves on the same side of the fence in opposing the Bill. Now with the Yadavs keen on taking `revenge' on the Congress for the humiliation over the Women's Reservation Bill and with Mamta Banarjee's Trinamool Congress becoming increasingly unpredictable, the numbers seem to be stacked against the Congress and the UPA.

But why this opposition to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill? Here are three reasons:

1. The Bill pegs the maximum amount of liability in case of each nuclear accident at a paltry Rs 300 crore to be paid by the operator of the nuclear plant. Considering the fact that a nuclear accident can cause enormous damage, this amount is very poor. This is one point on which the Left and Right parties - the CPM, CPI and the BJP -- are united.

"The BJP has serious reservations on the bill since it caps the liability of American firms," BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said noting, "we have the painful experience of the Union Carbide tragedy in Bhopal in 1984. The victims are still languishing and fighting their legal battle".

Environment activists have described as a violation of fundamental rights the proposed attempt to cap the level of compensation to victims of a nuclear accident.

"Under Article 21 of the Constitution, there is no warrant or justification for capping nuclear liability," noted jurist Soli Sorabjee said in his opinion to Greenpeace.

2. The second aspect is that the draft bill has incorporated provisions that would enable the government to either increase or decrease the amount of liability of any operator. This is rather vague and has no specific when it could be hiked or lowered.

3. Thirdly, the draft Bill says that the operator would not be liable for any nuclear damage if the incident was caused by "grave national disaster of exceptional character, armed conflict or act or terrorism".

This is where the Left is most vociferous. "We think the bill should not be brought in the present form. It is totally biased in favour of American companies, which supply nuclear reactors to India. It will be a big burden on the tax payers since the liability will be totally on the Government," says CPI-M party general secretary Prakash Karat.

The CPI too is determined to spike the Bill in the present form. "The Government has not made any proper assessment of the implications of the bill if passed in the present form. So far as the UPA is concerned, they are very determined, they are very keen somehow to help the American private nuclear companies," says D Raja of the CPI

But the Congress says that the Left parties and the BJP are crying foul even without properly reading the provisions of the Bill. Party spokesman Manish Tewari says that those opposing it (the Bill) have not scrutinsed the provisions properly. Answers to their objections are contained in the bill itself, he said.

The passage of the bill is an essential ingredient to operationalise the civil nuclear deal and pave the way for US companies, which are keen get a foothold in the promising Indian market, to do business here.

National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon had met BJP leader Arun Jaitley to brief him about the Bill, but the main opposition feels its concerns have not been addressed.

The Bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on November 20 last year.

Former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman and key architect of the Indo-US nuclear deal Anil Kakodkar feels that the liability limit is optimum. "It was important that this amount was not kept too low. I think this is the appropriate and reasonable level," he said adding that it was "quite balanced and needs to be passed in its present form".

The Bill also provides for establishment of Nuclear Damage Claims Commission which will have one or more claims commissioners for a specified area.

The claims commissioner shall have all powers of a civil court for the purpose of taking evidence on oath, enforcing attendance of witnesses, compelling the discovery and production of documents and other material objects.

Issues relating to the remaining steps of the nuclear deal -- reprocessing pact and civil liability legislation -- are expected to be key points in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's agenda when he meets US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the nuclear summit.

With the BJP and the Left parties having strong reservations over the nuclear liability bill, Government faces an uphill task in getting the measure approved in Parliament this week.

Both House of Parliament will go into recess later this week to enable the Standing Committees to consider a number of bills and re-assemble on April 12 for the second part of the Budget session which will continue till May seven.

The BJP and the Left parties want the Government not to rush with the bill. It has strongly pitched for the bill being referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for considering in detail all aspects.

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Open to the public for the first time in 145 years, Brunel and son's 'eighth wonder of the world' under the Thames

 

The public is to get its first chance in 145 years to see the Brunel tunnel under the Thames that was hailed as an eighth wonder of the world and a triumph of Victorian engineering.

The tunnel is open today and tomorrow and a Fancy Fair originally held in 1852 below the river will be recreated at the nearby Brunel Museum.

It was built between 1825 and 1843 by Marc Brunel and his son, Isambard, and was the first known to have been built beneath a navigable river.

The tunnel, completed in 1843, is 1,300ft long and runs 75ft under the Thames

An underground work walks along the tunnel, which was originally designed to take horse-drawn carriages

The tunnel, which runs from Wapping to Rotherhithe at a depth of 75ft below the river's surface, quickly became a thriving shopping arcade and entertainment centre.

It was illuminated by lights along its 1,300ft length and by the end of the first week of its opening, half the population of the capital were said to have paid to walk 'the shining avenue of light to Wapping'. Queen Victoria was among the millions who walked its length.

In 1869, it was closed to the public and converted into a railway tunnel for the East London underground line up until 2007.

Extension work will result in the tunnel becoming part of the new London Overground and it will once again be used by mainline trains.

Railway workers look at original brickwork in the Brunel tunnel, which took 18 years build under the river

The tunnel, 'a shining avenue of light to Wapping', became a thriving shopping arcade and entertainment centre

The two-day opening is taking place at the conclusion of the Mayor of London’s East festival celebrating east London.

Brunel Museum director Robert Hulse says the tunnel was 'not just the birthplace of the Tube system, it is the site of a Victorian rave'.

The Brunel Museum tours will take in the grand entrance hall and the 1867 arch at the Rotherhithe entrance. It is now an International Landmark Site, one of six in Britain, but is usually closed to the public.

In 1869 the tunnel was converted into a railway tunnel for the East London underground line

Enlarge A nineteenth century drawing of Brunel's revolutionary tunnel design and 'shield' used to build it

A cutaway plan of Brunel's Tunnel

The tunnel was originally designed for, but never used by, horse-drawn carriages and was required because of the demand for a land connection between the north and south banks of the Thames to cater for the capital's expanding docks.

There had been a number of failed attempts before Marc Isambard Brunel took on the project in 1825 with his newly invented tunnelling 'shield' technology.

The tunnelling shield was revolutionary because of its support for the unlined ground in front and around, which reduced the risk of collapses.

However, many workers, including Brunel, became ill because of the filthy water seeping through from the river above.

The sewage from the river gave off methane gas which was ignited by the miner's oil lamps, causing fires underground.

When the resident engineer William Armstrong fell ill in April 1826 from working underground Marc's son Isambard Kingdom Brunel took over at the age of 20.

Work progressed at only 8–12 feet a week and the company directors decided to allowed sightseers to view the shield in operation to earn some extra cash for the project.

Charging one shilling, up to 800 visitors came every day to see the Victoria marvel.

But the project was hindered by a number of setbacks.

The tunnel flooded suddenly on 18 May 1827 after only 549 feet had been dug. Isambard Kingdom Brunel had to lower a diving bell from a boat to repair the hole at the bottom of the river, throwing bags filled with clay into the breach in the tunnel's roof.

Marc Isambard Brunel took on the project in 1825 with his newly invented tunnelling 'shield'

The tunnel's route, which runs 13,00ft under the Thames from Wapping to Rotherhithe

Marc's son Isambard Kingdom Brunel started work on the project aged 20

Following the repairs and the drainage of the tunnel, he held a banquet inside it. The tunnel flooded again the following year, on 12 January 1828, when six men died and Isambard himself narrowly escaped drowning.

Isambard was sent to Clifton in Bristol to recover and it was while there he heard about the competition to build what became the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Financial problems followed, leading to the tunnel being walled off in August 1828. The project was abandoned for seven years, until Marc Brunel succeeded in raising sufficient money, including a loan of £247,000 from the Treasury, to continue construction.

There were further floods, methane leaks and fires before the tunnelling was finally completed in 1841 and opened to the public, once lighting roadways and spiral staircases had been installed, on March 25 1843.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1257473/Open-public-time-145-years-Brunel-sons-eighth-wonder-world-Thames.html#ixzz0hzH2B0aE

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